Electrolytic cell hook-up



June 24, 1930. F. H. BUCK ELECTROLYTIC CELL HOOK-UP Filed April 16, 1928 O O O 61H0: new

Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES FRANK EALEY BUCK, F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE nmc'rnonyrrc cELL BooK-Ur Application led April 16, 1928. Serial No. 270,521.

tion but is applicable to all circumstances in which an anode and cathode have substantially parallel and overlapping areas.

The principal object of the invention is to reduce the electric current consumption by an arrangement of inlet and outlet bus bars that the shortest possible path may be pre:

sented to the current without in any way interfering with the high eiiiciency of the cell as such.

To this end the invention contemplates a 20 situation wherein an anodeand a cathode are so arranged that 'their faces are spaced apart and parallel each other to a considerableextent. To such a st-ructure inlet and outlet buses are applied so that the current will enter the anode at substantially one end thereof, pass through the electrolyte to the adjacent cathode, and leave the latter at the end thereof substantially opposite to that of the anode bus. In the case of the Buck and McRae cell above referred to, the anode bus would be attached at substantially the top of the anode slabs, and the cathode bus at substantially the center of the bottom of the cathode.

The drawings illustrate more or less diagrammatically a hook up embodying my in'- vention, in which:

Fig. 17is` a top plan view of an electrolytic cell having portions broken away to show the interior thereof.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing an assembly hook up.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown at 1 a container upon the upper edges of which rests a basket cathode 2. Attached to the bottom of this basket is an inner cage 50 3 also a part of the cell cathode. Both of these elements are made of perforated or slotted metal.

A cement gas head or collecting chamber 4. is mounted upon the flanged upper edges of the cathode basket 2, and supports from its top graphite slabs 5 constituting the anodes. These anodes project into the space between the cathode basket 2 and the cathode cage 3, these three elements paralleling each other for a considerable extent.

The anode chamber is Ilined with a diaphra In 6 of asbestos or the like, the said cham er being then lled with an electrolyte such as a solution of sodium chloride.

At the top of the anodes is affixed a positive bus bar 7, connecting all the graphite slabs with a source of current.

Along the longitudinal center of the bottom of the cathode assembly is secured a negative bus bar 8, the end of which projects through an opening in the end wall of the container 1. The current leaves the cell through this lead.

In operation, the cell being filled with electrolyte, the appropriate current enters at 7, passes down through the anodes 5, through the electrol te separating the anode and cathode'sur aces and to the cathode 2 and 3 and finally out the bus 8. It will thus be seen that at no time has the path of the current been opposite to that already traversed. Such a hook up therefore constitutes the shortest path for a construction similar to that shown.

I have found that a 1500 ampere Buck and McRae cell such as above referred to, operating under about- 3.25 volts may have its power requirements reduced at least 3% by utilizingthe hook up of this invention.

It is understood that I have shown and described only sufficient of the Buck and McRae cell to clearly illustrate the hook up, it not being thought necessary to include the specific cell details.

In hooking up an assembly of cells, the arrangement will be somewhat as in Fig. 3, in which a bus bar 9 connects the outlet 8 of one cell with the inlet 7 of its neighbor.

.If it is desired to cut out one cell from operation, a cut out bar 10 may be attached between bus bars 9 on adjacent cells, as shown.

I claim:

A cell comprising a plurality of spaced apart anodes arranged in two parallel rows, a basket cathode enclosi said anodes and having a central part proJecting up between said rows, current inlet bars connected to the tops of said anodes, and a current outlet bus bar connected to the bottom of the cathode substantially centrally thereof and extending substantially the entire length thereof.

In testimony whereof, I aiiX my si nature.

FRANK HALEY B CK. 

